Recent realization on body type and shirt hem types - YouLookFab Forum

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Recent realization on body type and shirt hem types

abc

Veteran

Does anyone else who is a pear have issues wearing tounded shirt-tail hems?
I'm talking about the kind of blouses that are longest over your crotch and are shorter over the hip area.

I find that straight shirt hems flatter me way more.

I am guessing this is bc of my pear-ness? I flip between if I am a pear or hourglass or apple. At least I know I am not IT or rectangle, haha. I guess perhaps I have traits of all three. Having a few babies the last few years has muddied the water even further.

Anyway - I was just thinking about what tops I like to wear vs those I don't and it was an "a-ha" moment when I realized, I don't really like rounded shirt-tail hems.

For those of you that have strong feelings either way, what is your body type and/or why do you find it works/doesn't? Just curious.

I don't recall reading about this in Angie's body type columns but I could have missed it.

Have a fab night!

Dressing

21 replies

Latest reply was from Suzanne (ambergreen)

DonnaF

Veteran

Angie wrote a blog on this a year or two ago. IIRC, it was on the flattering effect of rounded hems. I'm an hourglass/pear or a pear/hourglass, and I agree. Roundness keeps the eyes moving, whereas a straight, horizontal line brings attention to the divide. For the same reason, a partial tuck is flattering because the upside down *U* keeps the eye moving.

rachylou

Veteran

I think a lot of it has to do with exactly where the hem hits.

JAileen

Veteran

I'm a pear and I like the shirttail look, as long as the tails aren't too long. When they're too long they my legs look short. I actually wore this look tonight with jeans and western boots for our ballroom dance class. I wear this a lot for our class because I have to raise my arms up and don't want a gap between my shirt and jeans.

abc

Veteran

Maybe I need to revisit my preferences!

anne

Veteran

When I first joined YLF I felt the same ( I am a pear/ rectangle). My reasoning was that the higher sides revealed my saddlebags and thighs more than I preferred. Is that your thinking too? I even hemmed a tunic to make it straight rather than round hemmed

I am a bit over that now, (and a bit less pear shaped too, which helps I suspect) though I don't go so far as seeking out round hems they no longer mean automatically not considering them. I guess it is Angie's thoughts (as mentioned above) that softened my thoughts.

bella

(website)

Veteran

Wow, you read my mind, this is exactly what I was thinking as I got dressed this morning. I have 2 express shirts, that I otherwise like, but sometimes I feel like they enhance the pearness of my hips - particularly when I am wearing them with high contrast bottoms.

Liz

Veteran

Fellow pear who just bought a shirt with a straight hem. I can't bear to wear it that way...it makes me feel blocky and chunky, so I'm in the process of changing that straight hem to a curved one.

pastrygirl

(website)

Veteran

YES. When I read the title of your thread, I immediately thought of rounded hems. They are terrible on me, so I always do a half-tuck.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Wow, this is so interesting!!

I'm not a pear, but used to be one. Now I'm more slim hourglass/ rectangle -- but the rectangle part is more in the top and the curves are in the bottom.

I like both types of hem, but I find the square ones tend to cut me in half more, so I wear with caution (and perhaps tone the bottoms more to those).

I think it is what Rachy said. I suspect it's more about the length and proportion than the fact that it is curved (or straight) per se.

Alassë

Veteran

For myself, I like a curved hem better when leaving untucked (hourglass/pear).

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I do think that this shape works well for hourglass/pear, but note that the length can make all the difference... Maybe expirment with the lengths and see if you can find that magic formula...

Jules

Veteran

Hmm interesting, I like rounded hems provided they are the right length and width. Then they glide over my trouble bits. I think with a straight hem there is more likely to be even ever-so-slight pulling across my widest point or fabric that doesn't fall quite perfectly at the sides. But with both styles, as always, it's the right fit that counts.
With my particular body issues I've always preferred long shirts that cover my hips. And I'm actually loving the right rounded hem tees right now because I think they look more finished than a regular tee, without needing to be tucked/belted in any way. The hem is obviously designed to be worn out.

I own this shirt and it is pretty much my idea of perfect right now (look at the back view to see how rounded the hem is there):

https://www.joefresh.com/Categ.....WT2237_404

Anonymous

Well I'm a straight rectangle, and I have a strong preference for the rounded shirt tail hem (maybe because it adds some curve, I dunno). A few seasons ago, I wrote a note to myself not to buy any more shirts with straight hems--especially those with the little side slits. Now they are back in style, and many with high-low hemlines, so I'm sure at some point I'll try them again.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I think Rachy is right -- a lot depends on the curve and where it hits in relation to the curves on the body.

I LOVE a curved hem, and straight hems that go across my widest point (around crotch level, where my *sigh* saddlebags pooch out) are the bane of my existence. If I do wear a straight hemmed garment, I semi-tuck or tuck it.

I also decided I do not like how curved hems that dip *down* on the sides look on me -- those were popular a couple of years ago (that feather print blouse from Nordstrom was one I wore a few times and then passed along). I think they add more volume and emphasis to a part of me that needs no additional width.

I like shirt-tail type hems that curve down in front and back and up on the sides -- to my eye, if the length is right, they help me look a little longer and leaner. Keep in mind that I am also busty with a short torso, so this might also come into play. Someone with a pear shape with a small chest and long torso might find a totally different hem shape more flattering.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I'm not a pear, but I was under the impression that the rounded shirt hem was flattering on everyone. I think it depends on where it hits you, though.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I have ditched several tops with a hem that cuts straight across my widest point. I prefer either a semi tuck (which provides an upside down curve) or a curved or ruched hem. I'm an 8 hourglass but have plenty of low hip to go around, too.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

This is interesting! I'm an hourglass and realized some years ago that I quite disliked shirttail/rounded hems on me. I much prefer straight hems. But for me, such an item also ideally has waist shaping at the sides that generally follows my own. So the overwhelming majority of my shirts (and a couple of tunics I have) are cut like that. I have a very small percentage of curved hems and they are so shallow-cut as to be almost unnoticeable.

I don't know if it's a petite thing or what, but rounded, shirttail hems can look sloppy and frumpy and juvenile on me. I don't really know why. Maybe it's the combo of petite and hourglass and bustiness etc. that spells too many curves going on if I add more? Well, since I also dislike tucking due to said hourglass-busty-shortwaistedness, I don't need shirttails. Phew!

Hmm...I don't mind the high-low hem thing, I should add, because the curve isn't in the front where it causes the most trouble. Hmm.

abc

Veteran

How interesting! We are really divided on this subject.

@DonnaF, I need to find that old article.

@rachylou, I am certain you are right!

@JAileen, that is a good point about coverage.

@anne, I never really thought about it before. I just found myself always reaching for straight hems and leaving the tops with the rounded ones hanging in the closet, getting little to no use. I don't think it was a conscious thing like, "these make my hips look big." (Thank God.)

@bella, ha! Mind reader? I'll take it!

@Liz, funny, I would be the opposite!

@pastrygirl, misery loves company. Looking into that half-tuck!

@Suz, interesting analysis and solution. I tend to wear high contrast and lots of color, so maybe I need to try your tonal soution?

@Alasse, ha, I think we need to start one of those old Angie threads, "Team Straight Shirt Hem or Team Rounded?"

@TraceyLiz, I tihnk you are onto something about the length.

@Jules, I don't find any pulling, I think I might be a slight pear shape or maybe even an hourglass. I really like the shirt you linked to. I was referring to more drastic rounded hems, ones where the front is a good 4-6 inches longer than the sides. I could totally do the JF shirt and really like it.

@clearlyclaire, funny, I have always liked the shirts with side slits, and tunic tops too. I guess we are opposites!

@Janet - OMG you reminded me of the opposite cut, where they are shorter in front and dip down - those are even WORSE on me! I own nothing cut this way and it will probably be that way forever.

@aziraphale, it is probably just me and my strange preferences. I think the proportion and cut of the shirt really matter, though.

@Mo, interesting point. It's funny to see our strong feelings on this topic and hearing of everyone ditching one style or the other for their preferred cut.

More thoughts...I think part of my issue with the rounded hem (longer in middle near crotch, higher on sides by hips) is that I find that cut usually comes in a lighter weight top. I don't know why but I have always struggled with thinner (dare I say flimsy?) fabric tops, especially those that button up the front. Anybody care to weigh in on THAT issue? I suspect I need/want/am more used to more structure in my tops and that is why? Sometimes I feel like those light weight button front shirts end up with the top button strangling me on my neck...like the shirt has somehow worked its way up from where it should be. I have *NO* idea why they do this on me. I bought an Equipment silk blouse but took it back bc I feared I would have this issue and I couldn't bring myself to have a pricey orphan.

I have a couple of shirts like this in my closet. I am really trying hard not to make as many mistakes as I have in the past. It could be a preference. It could be baggage and being set in my ways. I don't know. I am going to pull out a few rounded hem tops and see how I feel about them and pay close attention to proportion. I also rarely do a semi-tuck (but did my first a few months ago, thanks YLF!) - that might be a solution worth looking into as well. Now, if I just had a snakeskin belt

Thanks for weighing in, everyone.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

abc, I also sometimes have that riding-up problem with button-front shirts and have to keep yanking them down in front. For me, the reason is that instead of the flat front and back that men have, for which button-front shirts have mainly been designed, I've got the bust pushing the front top up and out and the bubble-butt tugging down the bottom back. Voilà...seesaw shirt.

This extra-high terrain on both sides but in opposite directions also causes too shallowly cut sheath dresses to pull at the arm-scyes and across the butt on me, exposing bra and creating a loose pooch of fabric at the back of my neck. Maybe these things are happening to you?

Anonymous

@ambergreen, with button down shirts I always look for darts in the right places (side of bust and 2 darts on back from mid back down )and my shirts always flatter (they flare out just a bit)

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

Lara, yes, those work well! I do have some like that.